Squash, Summer, Sure Thing Zucchini Hybrid

Short Description

Fruits early even in cool, cloudy conditions.

Full Description

This Burpee bred zucchini really is the Sure Thing because it will bears fruit early in cool, cloudy conditions even when there are no bees or male flowers around. Its medium-size fruits are long and very tasty. Its strong flavor is good with other vegetables.

Type
Some flowers and vegetables fall into subcategories that may define how they grow (such as pole or bush), what they are used for (such as slicing tomatoes or shelling peas), flower type, or other designations that will help you select the type of a class of plant that you are looking for.

Summer Zucchini

Days To Maturity
The average number of days from when the plant is actively growing in the garden to the expected time of harvest.

48 days

Fruit Size
The average size of the fruit produced by this product.

6-8 inches

Sun
The amount of sunlight this product needs daily in order to perform well in the garden. Full sun means 6 hours of direct sun per day; partial sun means 2-4 hours of direct sun per day; shade means little or no direct sun.

Start IndoorsStart Indoors
Starting seeds indoors is called Indoor Sow or Indirect Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds indoors in the spring or summer

TransplantTransplant
When to transplant bulbs or roots in the garden for spring

Start OutdoorsStart Outdoors
Starting seeds outdoors is called Outdoor Sow or Direct Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds outdoors in the spring or summer

Start Indoors FallStart Indoors Fall
Starting seeds indoors in the fall called Indoor Sow or Indirect Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds outdoors in the fall

Transplant FallTransplant Fall
Transplant Fall-When to transplant bulbs or roots in the garden for fall

Start Outdoors FallStart Outdoors Fall
Starting seeds outdoors in the fall is called Outdoor Sow or Direct Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds outdoors in the fall

First Date: May-16 - Last Date: Jul-11

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Growing information

How to Sow

Sow seeds directly in the garden in fertile, warm soil in full sun after danger of frost has passed.

Be sure to choose an area when you did not plant squash or related crops within 2 years.

Sow 1-2 seeds about 36 inches apart. Cover with 1 inch of fine soil.

Firm lightly and keep evenly moist.

Seedlings emerge in 10-14 days.

Thin to one plant when seedlings have two sets of leaves.

How to Grow

Keep weeds under control during the growing season. Weeds compete with plants for water, space and nutrients, so control them by either cultivating often or use a mulch to prevent their seeds from germinating.

Keep plants well-watered during the growing season, especially during dry spells. Plants need about 1-2 inches of rain per week during the growing season. Use a rain gauge to check to see if you need to add water. It's best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.

Squash plants have both male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers will open first and the female flowers will open later.

Monitor for pests and diseases. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for pest controls recommended for your area.

Attract bee pollinators by planting daisies such as sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias and coneflower, and mints such as beebalm, sage, oregano and lavender. More bees mean more chances flowers will be pollinated and develop into fruits. Border squash plots with rows of beans, herbs, peppers and tomatoes.

Harvest Summer Squash & Preserving

Harvest when fruits are small and the skin is shiny. Harvest often. To keep summer squash producing pick all fruit at this stage. If fruit is allowed to mature the plant may stop producing.

To pick summer squash give the fruit a gentle twist until it snaps off.

Store summer squash in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Male squash blossoms are also delicious and sweet, try dipping in batter and frying.

Harvest Winter Squash & Preserving

Wait to until the fruit has matured to harvest.

Fruit will have a dull skin that is too hard to pierce with your thumbnail.

To harvest, cut fruit from the vine with shears leaving a 2- 3 inch stem on each squash.

Rated 1 out of
5 by
Tudy49 from
Zucchini HybridI was so excited when I ordered these seeds for our summers here in Northern California. Only 2 seeds germinated! The seeds have been in almost 2 mos and have grown to a whopping size of maybe 2"! Expensive seed, very disappointing.

Date published: 2017-07-15

Rated 1 out of
5 by
LBDeck from
Only Male Flowers!I have been waiting anxiously for some "Sure Thing" zucchini but no luck! Out of seven plants, I have only one zucchini. I have had an abundance of flowers but they are all male. I have wasted time and garden space on infertile plants. Also, I am having a bad run with my okra. I am not a farmer but I have been a gardener for years. I will not take chances with Burpee seed packs in the future. I have success with zucchini in my garden and thought I would try something new. I am saddened by my waste of time and garden space on the "Sure Thing" hybred. Lesson learned.

Date published: 2017-06-07

Rated 2 out of
5 by
garden gal from
DisappointedOn April 25th, I planted 2 hills of these seeds and thinned the plants to 2 plants per hill. For two and a half months, all I had was sterile blossoms. Finally some blossoms formed with fruit. But my total harvest was only 8 zucchini before the vine borers killed all the plants. That was a complete waste of money and effort.
At the end of August I planted more seeds in a different bed, and blossoms with fruit have developed. I hope I will be able to harvest some zucchini before frost kills the plants in October.
I won't be ordering these seeds again.

Date published: 2016-09-15

Rated 1 out of
5 by
Roger80 from
Mistake re Acorn SquashI ordered Early Hybrid Acorn squash in the spring. The package I received was labeled correctly, however I planted the seeds and when the plants grew to maturity it wasn't acorn squash at all but it was zucchini! I had also ordered the Summer Sure Thing zucchini hybrid which did produce zucchini. Needless to say I had way too much zucchini!

Date published: 2016-09-15

Rated 1 out of
5 by
Jidi from
30 Percent GeminationVery disappointing experience. Only two out of six seeds germinated and growing slow and sickly. My other zucchini varieties germinated 100 percent and are growing fast and strong.

Date published: 2016-05-14

Rated 4 out of
5 by
SaffronKitty from
Good plant that produces wellThe Sure Thing zucchini squash is one of the several squash plants in my garden this year. While it doesn't get as much sunlight as the other squash, it still produces a hefty amount of zucchini for me! What's even crazier is that despite getting a ton of its stem eaten, poked, smashed, and cut out as resultant of a month-long battle between squash vine borers and myself, this zucchini plant is still chugging along. It definitely is a fighter. The only qualm I have is that while it produces a lot, I find the taste to be a little boring, as far as zucchini goes. Otherwise, great hardy plant!

Date published: 2015-07-09

Rated 5 out of
5 by
thesnarkygardener from
Award winningEntered this zucchini in the county fair and got 1st place out of 5 entries for zucchini under 10". I recommend these to everyone who can't get away fast enough.

Date published: 2014-09-08

Rated 2 out of
5 by
HJoy from
Not my favorite, but starts nice and early.It did come on fast and hard, but seemed to fade. It did continue to produce for months, but not at the rate it started at. The plant stayed healthy, but the yield just tapered off.